Film Club #1

So I meant AGES ago (like 2-3 years ago, doh) to start doing a little series on film reviews, because going to the cinema is something I do almost every week, so long as there’s something worth watching out. Vue Tuesdays are really cheap and I just really enjoy having a nice meal and then going to watch a movie. It’s a good way of socialising or going on a date on a budget, I think.

I’ll probably do these either every week, or fortnightly, but to get started with I thought I would review most of the films I’ve watched in June and July, because I think they should all still be out in cinemas, and they’re still fresh in my mind! Enjoy!

I have loved all of the X Men films, and I’m a big fan of the Marvel Universe in general. I thought the latest X-Men film was brilliant. The plot was fantastic, it had a brilliant cast, and it was really really well done. It all ties together perfectly, and it was full of action and tension and despite being a little on the short side didn’t struggle to fit everything in at all. Really loved the whole “being sent back in time” thing and the fact that the characters in the present had their own things to deal with as well as Wolverine and the past selves. If you love Marvel, you won’t be disappointed by this, and I also advise staying til the end of the credits to get a sneak peek of who might be causing trouble in X-Men: Apocalypse in 2016.

Edge of Tomorrow was a film I had been looking forward to seeing for quite a while, and it didn’t disappoint. I love Tom Cruise, and I absolutely loved the plot of this film. I love anything Sci Fi, and “we must fight the aliens” films are right up my street. I thought Emily Blunt was great in this too, and I loved the way the film ended. There were funny moments, and slightly emosh moments, and it was really gripping. This was sort of like an action packed saving the world version of Groundhog Day, if you will, and it was sooo my kinda thing.

The Fault in Our Stars absolutely gets top marks. I’d go as far as to say it’s the best film I’ve seen in recent years. Everything was perfect, and it hit me right in the feels. Repeatedly. I felt a bit silly for not having read the book, despite having had it on my Kindle for MONTHS. I might give it a little read now because it was just so good. I loved how realistic this film was, and how real the characters felt. There wasn’t a dry eye in the cinema, and most if not all of the people leaving were sniffing and wiping their eyes. I would say this is an absolute must see film, and definitely take tissues. You’ll need them.

21 Jump Street was hilarious, so when the trailer for 22 Jump Street was also hilarious, I was a bit concerned that they couldn’t possibly make a second film so good, and really hoped it wouldn’t be a case of “all the funny bits are in the trailer”. I would say it was just as funny as the first one, and I really enjoyed it. It followed pretty much the exact same formula as the first film (infiltrate the cool kids and figure out who the dealer is) but I think it was pretty clever to just take what made the first film successful, and put it in a new setting. It didn’t feel “overdone” and it had me laughing out loud. It was definitely very funny, and worth a watch.

I loved the first How to Train Your Dragon film, and the sequal was great too. The character dimension and development was really well done, and I felt the themes of this were a bit darker than the first film. I know it’s supposed to be a children’s film, but despite the fact that all the pre film trailers are definitely targetted toward children, I would actually say it might be most suitable for older children and teens. There was a good balance of light hearted fun, and fighting battles and overcoming difficulties, and the animated world was a joy to watch. A really well done film that definitely isn’t just for kids.

The new Transformers film is exactly what you expect from it. It was lots of action and explosions, with a slightly weak plot. I thought there were a couple of plot flaws, which is something that bugs me when watching a film because it kinda makes it impossible to suspend your disbelief. Then again, that isn’t exactly what you go to see a Transformers movie and expect, is it? It definitely wasn’t a terrible film, and if you enjoyed the previous Transformers films you would definitely like it. It’s not something I would watch again, because it was really long, but it was a bit of light entertainment and Transformers fans will love it.